Sony Blocks Online Play On Used Copies Of PSP SOCOM Game

[Alby_da_Wolf]

axumblade said:

Alby_da_Wolf said:

UncleScrooge said:

axumblade said:

UncleScrooge said:

axumblade said:

It's about time Sony fight's back against Piracy and Used Games.

Are you serious? It's about time Sony fights back used game sales? 

 

I can understand companies fighting piracy. It's their right and they can do it, I don't mind. But buying games used is our right as customers and we damn well deserve it. The only reason why used games sell in such tremendous amounts is because the values of the games most companies pop out is decreasing rapidly: They're hyped prior to release and sell great during the first two weeks and then drop off the charts. And then people realize the games aren't worth the 60$ or 70$ price tag so they buy the games used. Look at games like Wii Sports Resort or Mario Kart - they are still being sold for full price months and years after their release.

So a company isn't able to develop games people actually want to keep but instead is just developing software people sell after their first playthrough... and gamers have to be punished for it? That doesn't make sense to me.

Used games sales don't give anything at all back to the company's that make the game. If Gamestop maybe offered some of the money from used games sales back to Sony then they wouldn't have a right to be mad about it. If it's a game that's really popular like Modern Warfare or Assassin's Creed, it's not as big of an issue because the production cost is generally covered relatively quick for the game. But when it comes to the PSP (which struggles with software as it is), I can understand why they would take the extra step to prevent the sale of used games (or at least ensuring they get a cut from the game).

Yeah but it's Sony's business to make sure the PSP sells software and the software keeps its value.

What about used cars? Used CD's? Used computers? Used whatever... some people just don't have the money to buy all games new, to others the games aren't worth a full price tag.

What I'm trying to say is this will repell quite a lot of people and only make consumers even more angry (hey some companies even blame us when their games sell bad!) and all that just to see some additional sales? Only those "used buyers" who a) have the money for the games b) think the games are worth the full price tag and c) aren't angry because of this action will buy additional units of those game(s). I'm not sure if this is gonna pay off.

Totally agree, I'd have paid VG$ to be in your place and make him EPICALLY FAIL!

Hm..He's arguing with various people in the thread and instead of helping him out, you are just saying that I "Epically failed." But no, you're definitely deserving of the ability to pay VG$ to be in his place right now....

There are some points of his that I do agree with. I was mainly here to point out that the companies don't get money from used sales, which is the truth. I'm not saying I haven't bought a used game occasionally or anything like that, I'm just saying that it can cause harm to the industry. It does help more in the case of sequels but with new IPs, I think it actually can hurt them more then help them. Oh, and I pointed out that I think it's an experiment to see how well it works for them.

For Socom, a game that's predecessor (Tactical Confrontation, not FTB2) experienced a drop off of about half of what the previous 2 games sold, I can understand why they'd want to make sure the company is getting something back from the game.

Edit: Also, Sony need to do something about the issues PSP has with the sales of it's software because despite the system continuing to sell, the software sales are bleak at best. So that's one reason I am for the idea Sony have on the game. The ball is in Gamestop (and other Used Games sales departments) which basically means Game Stop will have to sell the game for cheaper or have to deal with a lot of angry customers. Customers will be pissed off at Sony and Game Stop technically since Game Stop made it seem like the customers were getting a good deal, and Sony would be charging an extra fee for a person tryin to save a few bucks.

Company don't get money from used games directly, but they do indirectly, BTW avid early adopters are more likely to buy games if they can finance themselves selling some of their used games, OTOH people that usually buy used would buy less games if prevented from their main way to save money, and they could wait for new games prices to drop before buying them. Front loaded sales, moreover, save those games not necessarily bad, but where the hype is bigger than their actual value, should they count on smaller first weeks and longer legs, they'd risk selling less. It must also be added that used market finances new games buyers in the same way used cars do in the cars market.

I can agree, though, that business profiting on used games should pay something to SW houses. Just like used cars sales is in most countries regulated more strictly for businesses (for example they must provide warranties and assistance) buying and selling them than for private individuals, the same could be done for used games.